Meter



Sept. 7 1926.

Q. J. ANGUs METER Filed May 29 Patented Sept. 7, 1926.

DONALD J. ARGUS, F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

METER.

Application led Hay 29,

It is the object'of my invention to improve the-construction'of'graphic meters, and particularly of the inking mechanism thereof. More specifically, it yis the object o'fmy in- I ventionto produce a 'meter Vhaving a separa'ble irkwell, whichniay be removed readily, and without tools, without disturbing the meter proper; and tofpmvide in combination with such removable rinkwell a removable pen carriedby the movableelement of the meter andv also removable `Without tools.

The accompanying drawingillustrates my invention, in connection with an electric meter: Fig. 41 .is a fragmental vertical section through an electric meter embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a planof the removable inkwell, in place in its support; Fig. 3 'is a yverticaal ysection on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fig. utis a horizontal section, looking upward, on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, with the inkwell-holding leaves `released; Fig. '5 `is, a fragmental perspective view of :theupper end' of the frame, with the 'recess for the inkwell'; Fig' isa perspective view of the inkwell, removed; and Figs. 7 and y8 are perspective kviews oftheinkwell-top and of the inkwell-body, respectively. f

The meter is shown as mounted in a casing '10 having a vertical 'partition llfwhich divides the `meter into an openable front compartment l12 containing the record-malring parts andan openable rear compartment 13 containing the metering parts, as sety forth in my Patent No. 1,370,179, granted March 1, 1921 ybut that is merely a conven ient mounting, and ymy linvention vis not limited thereto.

The metering orI operating parts shown in the 'rear vcompartment comprise a frame 15, conveniently of ymolded insulation, vcarrying one or more fixed field coils 16; which field coils react with movable coils 17 carried on a torsion wire '18. preferably being directly mounted on a -fiattened tubular staff 19 which inturn'is carried by the torsion Wire 18 `extending through it. The ends of the torsion `wire `r18 are suitably supported from the frame I5. The mounting of the movablel element of the meter conveniently follows the disclosurein my'aforesaid prior patent.

The recordamaking parts shown in the front compartment comprises a vmovable record sheet 25, movable in any' convenient way, to travel vbeneath .the markingend of the lpen'26; which also conveniently lcarries 1924. Serial No. 716,590.

a pointer 27 movable in front of an arcuate scale 28. The pen 26 is carried by the movable element of the meter, in the vrear corn-k partment 13; but projects through an opening 29 in the partition 11 into `the front compartment 12, for co-operation therewith the chart 25 and` the scale 28. This construction also conveniently follows the disclosure `of my aforesaid yprior Patent No. 1,370,179, and of my prior Patent No. 1,425,229, granted August 8, 1922.

y The pen 26 is removably supported on the movable element of the meter, as set forth in my aforesaid prior patents. This removable mounting of the pen, per se, is covered by my prior patents; but it also forms an element of some o the combinations claimed inthe present application, so that it will be briey described here. A sheet-metal clip 30 is mounted on the upper end ofthe supporting stai 19, for carrying the pen 26. This clip 30-has a pair of upwardly extending arms 31, in which there are vertical slots 32 ina plane displaced rtorward from the torsion wire 18. The slots 32 receive the knife-blade 33 on rwhich is mounted a pen-carrier 34.-. The pen-carrier has the pen 26 attached to its forward end, by a pair of fingers 35 surrounding the tubular body of the pen. The pen proper consists of this tubular body, with its forward end turning downto `cooperate with the chart'25, and with its'rear end turning down to dip into ink in the inkwell 36, which will be described later. The pencarrier 34lalso projects backward from the knife-bladev33, past the torsion'wire 18; and

at its rear end is provided with a screw 37` carrying a nut 38 which serves as an adjustable counterweight to control the force with which the forward or marking end of the pen bears againstthe recordfsheet. The pen-unit-comprising the pen 26 proper, the pointer 27 mounted thereon, the pen-carrier 34. and its supportingknife-blade 33-may readily be removed, without tools. by merelyv lifting the knife-blade 33 fromfthe slots 32. By such removability, it is made much easier to clean the pen, and much safer to do so without liability ofk injuring other elements of the meter. This 4removal may be made from the front compartment 12, without opening the rear compartment 13.

The inkwell 36 is also removable as a unit, through the opening 29 in the partition ll, after first removing the pen-unit.

To thiS end, the upper eroesliar el() o'l the trame l5 is irovided with an upvvardlv opening` pocket 4l. the rear Wall of which poelet is conve/nientlj.y substantiallv in the vertieal transverse plane ot the toreion ivire 1S. The poeliet lll ie Conveniently or" renerallv rectangular shape. and receives a removable inlvvell 3G, vvhieh is generali;Y el" the Same Contour as the pocket ll. The rear ivall ett the inlrvvell and the rear vfall of the poelet ll. hovvever, have niatim;l semi-cylindrical reeesSes #l and #ll respectively, to provide a` verti al evlindrieal opening` tor the torsion wire 18. the clip 30, and the upper end ot the stall 19. The bodv of tl e inlvvel 3G is convenientlyv made ot a one-piece Stamping ol Sheetanetal, ot the Yterm ehoivn beSt. in Fi 8, eonvenientli,T With narrow out-turned tlaneje l5 at the rear and side edges and a Wide out-'turned tlaneje lG at the trent edge. The open top ol' this inkvvell-bod57 receives Cover 7.17, also eonvenientlv made as a one-pieee stamping. vvith an olleet edite `tlanee 4S arranged to/overlapjthe Vflanges and el@ slightly vvhile the ollisettineV et sueh ede'elanne permits the Central part ot the eover to tit into the open upper end ot the inkivell-bodv 3G as is clear trom Figs. 3 and G. The cover l? ma;T readilv be removedl from or put into the open top of the inlrvvell-bodg7 236. The Cover T is provided vvith an arcuate slot l?) tor reeeivina' the donn-turned rear end ot the pen 2&3: and the bottom of the inlrvvell-bodv maj)Y be provided vvith a Similar arcuate depreeeion direetlv belovv the Slot l). to make sure of Sut'tieient clearance for the down-turned rear end ol the pen 2G and to provide drainagre from the reet ot the inlivvell to a point below such pen-end when the ink-Supply' gets low.

The inkvvell is held in place in the pocket ll bv trietional holding` memhere. These consist ot a pair et holdingl leaveS l'vine in front o'lE the 'front Wall ot the inkvvell 3G. and helovv the tlanee lt; which holding; leavee at their upper edges are provided vvith lorxvardlv turned flan es .32 piv oted 'to the tlaneje G b v pivote 55% near the lateral ends ot Such flan e. Between the holdin;Y leaves 5l and the 'trent v: ll ol the inlvvell 3G ia a leaf-Spring' 542. -bent at the middle So that it tends to prees the adiaeent ends ot the leaves 5l avvav trom the inlrvvell vvall. as is indicated in F Q and 8. rlhe leaf-Spring is suitablv held in position bv having;- an out-turned finger at the middle ot its upper edge. vvhieh iinfer is received in slote in the adjacent vertical edlee oli the leave,Q 5l. The outer endo oit the tiangres ot the leaves are provided with torvvardlv and upu'ardlj.' proieetii line-ers 5G. having loops 5T at the*L tee ende to reeeive the thumb and foretineer or the hand or.n the operator. rhe inlivvell proper behind the partition ll; but the armeA 56 project throurjh the openingr 29 in sueh partitifm. and the loops 5T are in front ich partition: so that the operator ma)T p the leopef f' between his thumb and loreiin.; presa them torgether to lore-e the adjacent ends ot the leaves 5l tovvard the inltvell a inet the action oit the springr 5l, Dud thus either put the inlvfell in place in rae poeliet `ll or remove it trom such pocket- This niav he done Without opening the rear eomiiartment ll.

Bv thi@y removabilit-y of the inkwell 36, and ot the pen QG, ity becomes possible to ele: n theee parte. and to re-till the inkvvell, ivithout diturbiner the meter elements proper. and without openingl the compartment lf3 containingT Sueh meter elements; and to eliminate Substantially entirely the dangii'er ot spilling ink Within the meter, as the filling' can be done with the inltvvell removed Completely trom the remainder of the meter. Further. itmakes it possible to empty thy inlzvvell and pen, without disturbine' the reet ot the meter. This notl onlv 'facilitates {illine ot' the inkvvell, and makes Vfor keeping the meter element free from inlz, but also malea it possible more eaeilv to prepare the meter both for shipment and tor use Without danger of disturbirm its adjustment'.

I elaim as my invention l. ln a ree-ordine' meter. the combination ot a trame. a variahlv movable meteringY deviee aesoeiated vvith said trame, a pen meterinelv movable b v Said meterineT device, a chart vvith which the pen eo-operateS to make a `graphie meter reeord. said frame being' provided with a poelet. and an inkvvell removahlv mounted in .Caid pocket and aeaoeiated ivith Said pen` Said inlxvell being provided with a manuallv releaeable Spring preeaed member for holdingr it in said pocket.

Q. ln a recordingT meter. the Combination oilE a trame. a variablv movable metering deviee awoeiated vfitl said trame. a pen me teriuojlv movable bv Caid meteringr deviee. a rhart ivith vvhioh the pen fro-operates to malte a Igraphie meter reeord. Said trame beine' iiirovided vvith a pocket. and an inkvell removahlv mounted in .Caid poeket and as1 oeiateil with ,Caid pen. Said inlvvell beiner provided with li'tting tinfers tor enabling an operator to lift the inkvvell. and being aleo provided with a devine which eo-operatea with the vall ot the pocket to hold the inltvvell in plaee therein and which is releaeable from the poeket-Wall upon the giaepingj of Said fingers.

ln a recording meter. the combination n' a easing' lievi-ner a partition dividinglr it ito a metering Compartment and a recordeompartment. a variably movable metering device in the metering compartment, a

moving chart in the recording compartment, said partition having an opening through it, a pen associated with and meteringly movable by the metering device in the metering compartment and projecting through said partition-opening into (3o-operation with the record sheet in the recording compartment, and an inkwell removably assoeiated with said metering device and removable through said partition-opening.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto Set my hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 27th day of May, A. D. one thousand nine hundredy and twenty-four.

DONALD J. ANGUS. 

